Reality Check
by haha20126
Summary: Sorry that I suck at titles. It wasn't really my thing anyway. There are various pairings throughout this story and some might change. I also wanted to say if i forget to put it in the chapters, Nauruto is not mine. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

Lunch time. It was a very short period where friends talked among other friends and created barriers with other social beings. Everyone sat separate from one another and ate their lunches.

Sakura Haruno ate her lunch quietly next to her friend Hinata Hyuuga. They talked about their classes, friends, boys, and such.

"So, Hinata, what's with you and Naruto?" Hinata started to blush furiously.

"N-nothing Sakura, w-we're just friends. That's all."

"Well, if you two are 'just friends', as you say, why don't you ask him to the autumn dance? You know, as just friends...", said Sakura with a sly tone.

"Oh no, I-I couldn't do that!"

"Why not, Hinata? You're really smart, nice, and not to mention you're a petite girl, so almost any guy can find you really cute."

"You really think so?"

"Hinata, I'm an expert when it comes to these things, I know so." The two girls laughed cheerfully until they were rudely interrupted by a mean laughter.

"Hah! If you're such an expert, billboard-brow, why don't you have a date for the dance?" It was Ino. Sakura and Ino had been rivals ever since they met each other. They were still friends, but they had their competitive moments.

"Well, Ino-Pig, I don't see your date for the dance. Or is he just invisible?"

"Shut up forehead! I will have a date for the dance before you! And it WILL be Sasuke Uchiha!"

"What! You better take that back, Ms. Piggy! And I don't think Sasuke would appreciate going to the dance with a pig!"

"Ugh! That's it forehead! If it's the last thing I do, my date for the dance will be Sasuke! And you better watch out, he's mine!"

"That's what you think Ino! You-", everyone stopped yelling and it fell silent. Sasuke Uchiha was walking by with his lunch and found all the girls staring at him. He stopped for a moment to look at all the girls. There was Ino Yamanaka, Sakura Haruno, and Hinata Hyuuga. He knew that Hinata did not have feelings for him, but Naruto. Of course, everyone knew that Hinata had a huge crush on Naruto except the dumbfounded blonde himself. He just rolled his eyes and continued walking. The two star-struck girls couldn't help but keep staring at him. They watched him until he sat down at a table by himself.

Ino saw her opportunity and pounced on it. She ran after the lonely Uchiha. Sakura saw the girl run after Sasuke and say "Hey Sasuke, mind if I...", her voice trailed off as Sakura turned back around to face Hinata.

"She's going to ask him to the dance...", said Sakura sadly.

"Don't worry Sakura, he won't say yes to her."

"How do you know, Hinata?"

"Well, Sasuke isn't a kind of guy who only judges girls on looks. Well, I'm sure he'll like a girl that's pretty , but he likes a girl who's strong on the inside as much as the outside. He also wants a girl that understands him deeply on the inside and a girl's who always there for him when he needs a sh-", Hinata abruptly stopped talking.

"Hinata, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing, Sakura. I have to go."

"Hinata, wait!", but it was too late. She had already scurried out of the lunchroom before Sakura could stop her. 'Wow, I wonder why she left in a such a rush?', Sakura thought.

"I guess I'll have to walk to class by myself then.", with that Sakura picked up her books and walked out of the cafeteria.

The hallways weren't it's crowded, usual self. Instead the hallways were pretty quiet and empty. Only a few people were walking to their class and some students were visiting their lockers. Sakura wondered if anything was going on, but she just brushed it off and quickly walked to biology.

The classroom was full and there were hardly any seats left. As a matter of fact there were only two seats left; one next to Chouji, who was eating potato chips like crazy and one next the Gaara, who was, well just sitting there. Gaara it was and she went over and sat next to him.

Gaara had quickly noticed Sakura walking towards him. He watched her as she sat down at the desk. He did not like having Sakura next to him. He was the kind of person would rather be alone forever than have a companion. He was too independent and his pride hung in the air highly.

'Oh my god, he's staring at me like he wants to kill me or something! I mean, what do I do? I don't want to sit next to Chouji, but Gaara doesn't want me to sit next to him! What is a girl to do?", Sakura screamed on the inside.

"Um, G-Gaara?" Gaara just gave Sakura a dirty look. "I hope it's okay if I sat next to you, just for this one class, I mean there's no where else to sit, besides Chouji of course, but I really don't want to sit next to him. I mean, he's kind of nice and all, well, at least I think, but um, I don't want his eating habits to distract me from my school work and all, and I just want to apolo-", Sakura was cut off by Garra's hand over her mouth.

"Shut up. You talk too much.", he removed his hand from her face and faced the front of the class.

Sakura, being shocked by Gaara's actions also did the same. The teacher came in and everyone stopped chatting and looked up front.

"Okay class, today we will be examining various blood samples and recording data in our observatory notebooks. You will able to work with the person next to you and no one else. We don't need any more inter-, Naruto, Kiba! Turn around and pay attention! Do I need to review what I just said in the last two minutes or can I trust you two to actually get an A in this class?"

"Going over directions would be a good start miss!" The teacher just sighed and went over directions again.

"Now class, please put last night's assignment on you desk and I will be around to collect them. Let's get started everyone! We don't have much time because of Naruto and his habits of not paying attention..."

"Um, Gaara, how about I get the microscope and you can get the blood samples?" he just gave her a dry look. "Um, please Gaara?" Gaara just sighed and got up from his desk. Sakura wasn't able to help notice that Gaara had a really nice body. She couldn't help stare in amazement. His body suited well for his long sleeved black shirt and semi-tight black pants.

'Get a hold of yourself Sakura!'

'**What! Keep staring! He might like the attention!'**

'What! No way! I like Sasuke, not Gaara! Gaara is some weird Goth /Emo guy! I'm so not into them!'

'**But you just told yourself that he has a great body!'**

'Ah shut up!' Sakura snapped out of it and stopped arguing with her inner self. She found Gaara staring at her weirdly.

"I thought you were getting the microscope."

"Um, yeah, sorry about that! I guess I was lost in my own world for a minute. Heh heh heh... Yeah, I'll go get that, um, thing now...", she nervously get up and went to the counter to get a microscope.

"Such a weird girl...", Gaara said to himself while laughing quietly.

Sakura came back with the microscope and found Gaara lost in his thoughts. She didn't want to interrupt him but they needed to finish this assignment by the end of class. Why was everything so complicated for her, she thought.

Sakura continued to look at Gaara. His eyelids started to get heavy, like he was about to fall asleep, but he was far from it. He was practically drowning in his own mind. Something was distracting him terribly. Suddenly, Garra's pupils shot wide and scared Sakura for a moment. Gaara had snapped out of his thoughts.

"G-Gaara? Are you okay?"

"Don't talk. L-let's just start the project." This shocked Sakura even more. She didn't think a person like Gaara would studder when he talked.

"O-okay Gaara."

Class seemed like it would go one forever. Seconds seemed like minutes and minutes seemed like hours. Will it ever end? The conversation between Sakura and Gaara wasn't very exciting. All they talked about was the assignment, and they both hardly said a peep.

"Okay, the last blood sample we have to observe is the African Bull Frog." , she said while sliding it under the glass.

"Sakura?"

"Hn?", she said still looking into the microscope.

"Did-did you ever love someone so much that it hurts?" Sakura slowly lifted her head from the microscope and stared at Gaara in awe.

"Um, could you repeat for me?" , she didn't believe what her ears were telling her.

"Nothing Sakura. Just forget it."

"Well, okay then.", she went back to observing the sample.

Ten minutes passed and the two finished their assignment just in time.

"Alright class, I want you to put your observatory notebooks on my desk on you way out. Also, don't forget to put back your supplies and your homework is on the board."

Sakura and Gaara put their notes on the desk and walked out the door. Gaara walked to the left and Sakura to the right. She couldn't help hear what Gaara had asked her back in class, 'Did-did you ever love someone so much that it hurts?' His words kept buzzing in her head like an angry bee. It's just wouldn't go away.

She decided to step outside in the courtyard during the short locker break. She just wanted to get away from whatever she was dealing with. Sitting down on a smooth rock, she heard familiar voices from around the corner. She turned to look who it was, to her surprise it was Hinata and Sasuke. She quickly slid behind the wall, but couldn't help but listen in on their conversation.

"Hinata..."

"Sasuke, you can tell me anything."

"You were going to tell Sakura about us weren't you?"

"N-no! I would never do that! I would never, ever break a promise." Sasuke just chuckled softly.

"Hinata, you're such a modest person. That's one of the reasons why I ever fell in love with you."

Sakura felt a shot of pain in her chest. He was in love with Hinata? How could she not tell her? She was her best friend and all, but was she not trustworthy enough for Hinata?

Sasuke kept talking, "But that's all in the past right? I mean, we were both looking for love in the wrong places."

"Sasuke..."

"I mean, you obviously like Naruto and I like-", he was cut off by his own words.

"You love who, Sasuke?"

"I actually don't know. I guess love isn't my forté."

"Don't say that Sasuke, I'm sure you'll find love someday."

"Yeah, someday..." The bell rang and both departed their own ways. Sakura, still shocked of what she heard just stood there.

'Hinata never told me she went out with Sasuke...'

'**Maybe she didn't want anybody to know, I mean, Sasuke looked pretty annoyed when he thought Hinata was going to tell you.'**

'I know, but I'm her best friend. How could she not tell me? Does she not trust me?'

'**I don't know girly, but you better get to class or you'll be late!'** Sakura snapped out of her gaze and cursed herself. She had a test next class and she was going to be at least 5 minutes late!

She was running down the hallways and just barely making turns around the corners. She was just nearly there when she ran straight into someone. It was Gaara. She was practically on top of him and started to blush furiously when they both looked at each other.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry Gaara! I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I'm late for a test and-", Gaara didn't even bother to listen and started walking away.

"Hey! Ugh! I'm sick of people not listening to me! Will you at least listen to my apology?"

"sigh You already said you were sorry didn't you?"

"Well, yeah."

"Then that's your apology and I heard it. No need to hear your life story."

"Well, aren't you even worried that your late for your next class?"

"No, it's gym, I'm skipping...", he walked away leaving Sakura alone in the hallway.

"Ack! I'm fifteen minutes late! I got to stop getting distracted!", she said running for the door.

Huffing and puffing she tried to get an excuse out for the teacher, "I'm, huff sorry that I'm huff late for the test Mr..." to make matters worse she had realized she was in the wrong classroom.

"Oh dear..."

"Oh dear is right young lady. Now where should you really be?

"Oh, um, next door...", she looked around the classroom to find all the students snickering at her. Except one, Sasuke Uchiha. He must've been thinking what a fool she was and she was right. Instead of entering the history classroom, she had entered the other math room.

"Young lady, do you realize that you are 20 minutes late for class?"

"Uh, yes sir..."

"I suggest you get to your class right away, I hear you have a test today."

"Oh, yes sir.", she bowed politely and walked out the classroom.

'How embarrassing... And in front of Sasuke too...'

'**Hey, you wanted to spy on Hinata and Sasuke.'**

'Just shut up...'

Sakura opened the classroom door to find it very quiet and everyone taking the test. She also saw the teacher glowering at her.

"Ms. Haruno, is there a perfectly good explanation why you are exactly 23 minutes late?"

"Um, sir, I can explain, um..."

"Just take a seat young lady.'

"Yes sir."

Sakura traveled into the back of the room to sit at her desk. This was the worst day of her life so far and she didn't like at all.

'Why me?'

'**Like I said before, you wanted to spy on Hinata and Sasuke.'**

'Well, I couldn't help it! I mean, Hinata is my best friend and Sasuke is the guy of my dreams! What was I supposed to do?'

'**I guess you have a point there.'**

'But I wonder when I'll take the test, everyone else had already started.'

'**Well, Ms. Genius, why don't you ask the teacher?'**

'You don't have to get snippy now!'

Sakura raised herself out of her seat and slowly walked up to the teacher's desk.

"E-excuse me sir."

"Yes, Sakura?"

"I was wondering when I was going to start the test."

"Well, Sakura, since you were late to class today, you won't have to take the test now."

"So, when will I be able to take it?"

"You'll be able to take the test after school-"

"Oh, thank you sir!"

"I'm not finished, you'll be able to take the test after school in detention." Sakura's face quickly turned into a frown. She never had detention before and didn't plan on getting any.

"But sir,"

"You're getting detention for being over 20 minutes late to class and because you were late for a test, now please take your seat. The other students are trying to finish the rest of their exams."

"Yes sir.", said Sakura as she quietly walked back to her seat.

'I never had detention before!'

'**Well, now you do!'**

'Argh! Shut up! This is all your fault!'

'**What! You can't blame me!'**

'If I wasn't talking to you all the time, I wouldn't have been this late or late at all!'

'**Hey, you were the one who decided to- '**

'Just drop it. I don't want to talk about it anymore.'

'**Fine by me...'**


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura's day wasn't getting any better. In history class, she had to sit at her desk for 25 minutes doing nothing. When she was walking to her next class, everyone would point and snicker at her. And to make matters worse, she had to tell her parents about getting detention. She just wanted this day to end as quick as possible.

Her next class was English and she was glad. Two of her best friends were in it. Tenten and Hinata. At least she would have someone to talk to about her miserable day.

Sakura quickly rushed over to Tenten and Hinata. They were engaged in a quiet, little conversation.

"Hey guys...", Sakura greeted.

"Hey, you don't look so good Haruno, what's up with you?", asked Tenten.

"Nothing, it's just the worse day of my life, that's all"

"S-Sakura, it can't be the worst day of your life.", said Hinata.

"Unfortunately it is."

"Well, my pink haired friend, care to tell us what happened?"

"First, _Hinata_ abandoned me after lunch.", she said looking towards the shy girl.

"I-I'm sorry Sakura! I didn't mean t-to abandon you! Is it my fault that you're having a bad day? If it is I promise I'll make it up to you. And I'm really sorry again and-"

"Whoa, whoa! Hinata! I'm sure it wasn't any of your fault! Right Sakura?"

"Hinata, don't worry about, I'm sure you didn't mean to make my life miserable on purpose!"

"Oh my god! I'm really sorry Sakura! I didn't mean to-"

"Hinata, I was only kidding. Calm down, it was just a joke."

"Oh... Right! Sorry Sakura."

Sakura went on telling her two friends about having to sit next to Gaara and how weird he was. Also, how she ran into him again and how she was late and got detention after school. Of course, she didn't say a word about listening to Hinata's and Sasuke's conversation.

"Wow girl, that is a bad day..."

"Sakura, I hope the rest of your day gets better."

"I hope so Hinata, I really do."

The rest of English class lugged on. Their teacher talked on about a novel they were reading, To Kill A Mockingbird.

"Now class, if you read the chapters I instructed you to read last night, tell me, why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird? Also, who were the characters that defended the mockingbird?"

Sakura's hand was the first to shoot in the air.

"Yes Sakura?"

"It is a sin to kill a mockingbird because it never ruins our gardens and just sings lovely songs for us all day. Also, Miss Maudie and Atticus Finch were the ones who defended the bird."

"Well done Sakura."

"Thank you ma'am."

"Who else can tell me, why were they discussing about mockingbirds? Anyone besides Sakura? Shikamaru!"

"Wha?" Shikamaru had apparently fallen asleep during their discussion about the novel and was woken up by the teacher.

"Shikamaru, can you tell me why Miss Maudie and Atticus were discussing about mockingbirds? Also, can you tell me why you have fallen asleep during my English class?"

"Um, well, they were talking about the bird because Jem got a gun for a present and Atticus told him not to shoot any mockingbirds. I also fell asleep because this class is such a drag...", he said yawning at the end.

"Well, Mr. Nara, if this class is such a 'drag', as you say, you can read two more extra chapters tonight and tell me about them tomorrow. I expect a perfect summary of the chapters too."

"Aw man...", he said lowering his head onto his desk.

"Now class I want you to study your vocabulary words tonight and read two more chapters in the book. Just remember you have a vocab test on Friday."

Everyone just groaned and gathered up all of their things. Sakura waved goodbye to Tenten and Hinata and went her separate way. She didn't like the thought that detention was only a class period away and the next class was gym. How she hated gym.

In the locker room, she found Ino, talking up a storm to the other girls as usual.

"Hey Ino, so what did Sasuke say when you asked him to the dance?" Sakura knew he wasn't going to the dance with Ino, so she decided to rub it in her face.

"So Ino, did Sasuke say yes or did he reject your face again?" Ino wasn't happy when she heard Sakura say that.

"As a matter of fact, forehead, he said he'd think about it." Of course this was a no.

"Well, it doesn't matter what he said to you because I'm going to go to the dance with him."

"That's what you think, Haruno, but he'll change his mind, You'll see..."

"Pf!", with that Sakura went into the stall to change in her gym uniform.

"All right you maggots! Today we will be running laps around the track field for fifteen minutes!"

Everybody groaned. "You should be glad that this school is giving a proper gym class! For some of you this is the only amount of exercise you're getting and if it wasn't for gym, you'd be 20 pounds overweight! Now don't just stand there, start running!"

Everybody quickly straightened up and hurriedly went on to the track field.

"Hey! Billboard- brow! I bet I can run more laps than you in fifteen minutes."

"Is that a challenge I hear, Ino?"

"You bet your giant forehead it is!"

"Shut up Ino, you're probably going to loose because pigs aren't meant to run!"

"That's it! Let's make this race more interesting. Whoever runs more laps in the time of fifteen minutes will be able to win Sasuke's heart."

"But Ino, Sasuke already rejected your face, no need to do it again!"

"Augh! That's it we're starting now!" Ino and Sakura got into position a the starting line.

"Ready, set,"

"Go!"

Ino and Sakura shot off from the finish line and in no time, they were already half way around the track. They were both in track and field last school year so they both had some experience with the intense heat and the field.

"Give it up forehead! You're going to loose!"

"Not in your life porkchop! I'm going to win!'

"Hah! Yeah, why don't advertise your loss on that billboard of yours, I'm sure it will make a big statement!"

'Shut up, Ino! Why don't you oink on out of here!" The two girls sped up even more.

Ten minutes passed and they were still speeding around the track. The other students watched in amazement as the two girls kept running.

"Wow, I never thought Ino and Sakura could run this long.", said Naruto.

"Well, there's 2 minutes left before class actually begins, I wonder who would win?", asked Kiba

"I don't know, but I wish two pretty girls like that would run around the track for me."

The two boys looked to their left and saw Sasuke watching the two girls sprint around the track.

"Dumb Sasuke, he gets all the girls attention. It's not fair! He doesn't even want it!"

"Well, what are you gonna do?"

There was only a couple seconds left on the clock and both girls were getting really tired and running out of energy.

"huff I'm going huff to huff win Haruno."

"Yeah huff right, Yama- huff naka huff."

Only a couple meters away, Ino and Sakura were about to feel faint. Only a meter away, Ino had lost consciousness and fell onto the gravel. Sakura couldn't help but stop and stare at her. She was about faint, but wanted to cross the finish line too. Sluggishly, she stepped over the finish line and toppled over onto the ground. The two juniors passed out from the heat and the sun wasn't helping.

All the students rushed over to find them breathing heavily. Everyone was talking in whisper, not knowing what to do.

Naruto couldn't help getting mad and blaming Sasuke for this. His friends were currently passed out on the ground because they wanted Sasuke's attention so badly.

"Hey, Uchiha!" He looked over at Naruto.

"What, Uzamaki?"

"You better apologize to them after they wake up!"

"What for?"

"They were running around the track field like crazy in this heat and it's all because of you!"

"Because of me? I didn't ask for them to run around the field like lunatics, Uzamaki. So I suggest you shut up and stop acting like one yourself."

"Augh! That's it!" Naruto was about to attack Sasuke when the gym teacher had arrived just in time.

"All right! All right! What the hell is going on?"

"Well, because of _Sasuke_ here, Sakura and Ino passed out."

"Why, what does Sasuke have to do with them passing out?"

"They bet each other, whoever could run most laps in fifteen minutes can have Sasuke."

"Did Sasuke agree to any of this?"

"Well, um, no..."

"So it's not exactly Sasuke's fault, Uzamaki. Now everyone! While I get Haruno and Yamanaka to the infirmary, I want all of you to actually run around the track! Not sit and watch others beat themselves up while they were actually running. Also I want you to take breaks every 3 laps. This way you wont end up like these two. Now, what are you waiting for? Get Started!"

Another gym teacher came to help carry Ino and Sakura to the infirmary. Naruto watched them carry Sakura and Ino away.

"I still say it's that Uchiha's fault."

"Whatever you say Naruto."

In the infirmary, Sakura and Ino were laying in beds and still panting softly. Sakura was the first one to wake up.

"Ugh... my head... God, I feel like I got run over by truck...", she spotted ino in the bed next to her.

"Ugh...Ow...My head... Um, Ino, are you awake?" Ino flickered her eyes and turned her head to face Sakura.

"Heh, the bigger the forehead, the bigger the pain- ow...", her whole body was aching.

"Shush Ino... Like I said before, pigs weren't meant to run..." The two girls laughed softly.

"That was really stupid of us to run around like, huh Ino?"

"For once you're right, Sakura..."

"But I say Sasuke is worth a thousand laps."

"Yeah... maybe even two thousand."

"Yup, Ino."

The nurse came in to find Ino and Sakura awake and laughing.

"I'm glad that you two are awake and cheerful. Now, are you two okay to go home by yourselves or do I need to call some parents?"

"Um, I think I'll manage. And plus school's over for today."

"Yeah, and I have to go take a test so I'm okay too."

"Well, okay girls, just take it easy!"

"Thank you!", the two girls said in unison.

Ino and Sakura both went into the locker room to find it empty.

"Everyone's probably at the bus stop right now, Ino."

"Yeah, well I better hurry up and get changed. I don't want to be late for the bus!" Ino hurriedly changed back into her regular clothes and scurried out of the locker room. Sakura soon followed but went to into the detention room instead.

There was no one there, but to her surprise, Gaara was sitting in the far corner of the room.

"G-Gaara?"

"Ah, you must be Sakura Haruno, I heard you missed your test today." Sakura saw Gaara looking up at her.

"Y-yes sir."

Well here's you test and you can have a seat anywhere you like."

"Thank you sir.", she bowed politely and took a seat a row away from Gaara.

"Now, I'll be back in ten minutes to make a phone call, I don't want to hear a peep out of any of you two.", the teacher said as he left the room.

Sakura opened her test booklet and started to write her answers down furiously. She only had an hour the finish the test and she didn't want to waste any time.

Ten minutes turned to fifteen minutes and fifteen minutes turned to 25 minutes. Sakura was nearly finished her test and thought to herself, 'I guess the teacher's not coming back.' She turned to see what Gaara was doing. He had his arms folded and was leaning back in his chair. He stared back at Sakura. Sakura just quickly turned around and blushed. She didn't want Gaara to think she was spying on him or anything.

The total of forty five minutes passed and the teacher was definitely not coming back. Sakura had finished her test and all she had to do was wait for the fifteen minutes to tick by.

She wondered why Gaara was in detention. He didn't seem like a guy who would do a lot of bad things to get in trouble, or at least get caught.

"H-hey Gaara."

"Um, hey..."

"So why are you stuck in detention?"

"I got caught skipping gym."

"Oh...", Sakura just stopped the conversation there. She figured Gaara didn't want to talk more and she didn't want to be nosy.

"So, why are you in detention Sakura?"

'Oh my god! He's actually talking to me? Maybe's he's starting to open up.' , Sakura thought.

"Well, I was 23 minutes late for my history class and we had a test that period so I had to take it in detention."

"Hn..."

'**He doesn't seem like he wants to talk to you.'**

'Obviously, he never wants to talk to anybody.'

'**Yeah, but he started this conversation, he should at least end it properly.'**

'Maybe he just ran out of things to say.'

'**Or maybe he's just a rude, selfish, hottie.'**

'D-did you just say hottie?'

'**Well he is, isn't he?'**

'I refuse to answer that question.'

'**Okay, but you never know what you're really missing out on until you really miss it...'**

'Yeah, whatever.'

After talking with her inner, Sakura noticed that she forgot to call her parents to tell them she had detention after school. She started to rummage in her purse to find that she must've left her cell phone in the locker room.

"Oh my...", she looked over at Gaara, he was gazing out the window. 'Maybe he has a cell phone.', she thought.

"H-hey Gaara?"

"Hn?", he looked up at Sakura.

"Do you have a cell phone I can borrow?"

"Yeah, sure", he said throwing her his phone.

"Do you think he'll come back while I'm calling my parents?"

"No, he never comes back. He always leaves and 'making a phone call' is always his excuse."

"Why don't you just leave detention then when he leaves?"

"Because, that would be the wrong thing to do. Plus, I'd rather be here than at home."

"Do you not like going home?"

"Never, hell is better than home."

This shocked Sakura. How could he say such a thing? Home is where you spend time with your relatives and care for each other. Why would Gaara not want to go home?

"If you don't mind me asking, but why would you think that?"

"Simple, drunken father, beats up his wife, and I'm blamed for making his life miserable."

"G-Gaara..."

"Don't say it Sakura. Pitying me is like pitying a street rat, so don't ever do it."

Sakura stared at Gaara for a while. She couldn't help but feeling sorry for him. She got up to make her phone call. As she stood outside her door and entered her home Phone number, she thought of a great idea.

"Hello? Mom?"

"**Where are you? You're an hour late and you should've been home by now!"**

"I know mom, and I'm really sorry but-"

"**No, sorry won't cut it. Tell me, why are you not home yet?"**

"Mom, I'll tell you later, but can I ask for a favor?"

"**A favor? You won't even tell me where you are!"**

"Mom, I'm at school and I wanted to ask if I could invite a friend over for dinner."

"**I suppose it would be okay, but I want an answer from you when you get home okay?"**

"Okay, bye!", she said as she hung up.

Sakura burst in the door, "Hey Gaara!"

"Hn?", he looked up at her.

"I-I was wondering if..."

"Whatever it is just say Sakura."

"If you wanted to come to my house for dinner."

Gaara just stared at her. He wondered if he should accept the invite or reject it. If he accepted it he would actually make a friend and wouldn't be so lonely all the time. But on the other hand, he would be letting his guard down around a person her just met. And he never lets his guard down.

"So, is that a yes?"

"No, it's not a yes."

"B-but, why?"

"Like I said before Sakura, I don't want or need your pity."

"But Gaara!"

"Sakura, I'm going home now. Also, I want you to stop talking to me and hanging around me."

"Gaara!"

"Sakura, you're nothing but a big pest to me. Just stop talking!"

Sakura watched Gaara walk out of the room. She felt rejected and alone. Is this how Gaara felt all the time? She wondered. She wanted to be beside Gaara and cheer him up. But how? All he told her was that she was a big pest to him. She ran after him.

She spotted Gaara walking out of the school gates.

"Gaara wait up!"

He was getting annoyed now. Did she not get the message? What was wrong with this girl?

"Sakura, I said-", he was interrupted by Sakura's words.

"Gaara! I'm really sorry that I offended you in any way! I was just trying to help."

"S-Sakura..."

"Gaara I don't want to but in, in any of your business, but I just want to be your friend! Is that so hard to ask?"

"Sakura, you just don't understand. I can't just open up to anybody just like that."

"Well, am I just anybody Gaara? Am I?"

"No Sakura, you're not...", he said in a faint whisper.

"What? I'm sorry I didn't catch that."

"I said that you're not just anybody Sakura!"

"Gaara..."

"Sakura don't you get it? Don't you get any of this? Ever since I met you in middle school, you've been driving me insane!"

"So I am just a big pest to you...", she said in a sad tone.

"Sakura! Oh jeez... You still don't get it don't you?

"Get what? That you hate me?"

'This is why I don't talk to people. They're too dense and interpret everything wrong...', Gaara thought.

"No Sakura, I'm saying the opposite."

"So you're saying,"

"That I love you."


End file.
